WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump notified seven more countries they would be hit with tariffs of at least 20% or more on August 1, in a series of letters to foreign leaders.
In separate July 9 letters to each targeted country, Trump said he would impose 30% tariff rates on imports from Libya, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Algeria. He said Moldova and Brunei would face 25% tariffs, while the Philippines would be hit with a 20% rate.
Trump announced new rates for Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia and other countries earlier in the week. He also put higher tariffs on imports from Japan and South Korea.
The new notices bring the total number of countries for which Trump has hiked tariffs this week to 21. He sent letters to 14 countries on July 7. He told reporters later that day that he was open to negotiations with countries prior to August 1.
But he said of the deadline and process, "As far as I'm concerned, we're done."
Trump insisted at a Cabinet meeting the next day that the August 1 collection date for the tariffs was firm.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on July 7 that dozens of these letters would be sent to countries in the next few weeks. She said that Trump is choosing the order in which countries receive notifications.
"It's the president's prerogative," Leavitt said.
In letters addressed to leaders of the countries he's targeting, Trump has said, "If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs, then, whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto" the amount the United States plans to charge.
The United States is currently charging a 10% baseline tariff on imports from most countries. The higher rates are part of the "reciprocal" tariffs that Trump imposed in early April and then paused for 90 days. They were scheduled to go into effect on July 9 for countries that had not directly struck deals with the administration. But the president signed an executive order on July 7 that delayed their collection until August 1.
So far, the administration has announced trade agreements with the United Kingdom and Vietnam and a framework for a deal with China.
Contributing: Joey Garrison
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